By Julia Duggan
Staff Writer
Bastille released their fourth studio album, “Give Me The Future,” on Feb. 6, which challenges listeners in a different way than most albums do. The album explores the different insecurities people can have about the future.
For those who are unfamiliar with the British pop band, one of their known traits is to push boundaries. The band formed in 2010 and the name Bastille refers to the historical battle at the start of the French revolution. It just so happens that the lead singer Dan Smith has his birthday on the same day that the Bastille battle happened.
The band clearly gravitates towards historical events as part of their inspiration for new pop favorites. Previous album songs have direct connections of events in history, such as their song “Pompeii.” However, their most recent album looks toward the future instead of the past.
To fully understand the different tracks in “Give Me The Future,” listeners have to pay attention to the lyrics and do a little bit of listening and research. For example, the song “Thelma + Louise,” is based off the popular and somewhat controversial movie from the 1990s called “Thelma and Louise.” In the movie, the main characters Thelma and Louise go on vacation to escape their current lives and love interests. One thing leads to another, and they become fugitives trying to get across the U.S. border and into Mexico. Along the way, the two interact with several terrible men that propel the two to just keep moving and acknowledge that men will only betray or cause pain to women. Due to past events that happened in Texas, the pair made the decision to cross the border in New Mexico to avoid the state and the memories that are tied to that state.
The song “Thelma + Louise” starts with the lyrics “skipping town down to Mexico, lipstick on, in the thunderbird, let's roll” clearly refers to the movie. But if fans are unaware of the movie, they would be very confused when they first hear the song. The upbeat and pleasant tone the song conveys directly contrasts with the dramatic and sudden end to the movie. The positive tone makes sense when listening to the rest of the lyrics which prioritize the idea of escaping the routine of life and trying to take charge and change the future.
Another example of focusing on the future through movies in the past is with another song called “Back to the Future.” This song directly links to the movie “Back to the Future,” but the lyrics do so in a more subtle way. They reference 1984, which may be slightly confusing for “Back to the Future” movie fans. While the movie takes place in 1985, it was filmed in 1984. The other subtle reference to the movie comes from the brass playing in the background throughout the song. The brass play snippets of the theme song from “Back to the Future.”
Looking further into the tracks on the album, another movie connection can be made with the song “Plug In….” Fans of “The Matrix” have probably guessed that the song alludes to AI as well as the movie “The Matrix.” Early in the song, listeners hear “plug me right in, jump through the screen,” which references how the main characters are able to access The Matrix. Further in the song, the lyrics “maybe AI is the messiah, my machines learned all my kinks and desires” refer to the controlling AI machines that run and control The Matrix that the main characters are trying to take control over.
Most, if not all of the songs in the album, connect in some subtle or obvious way to the future. Fans that are willing to follow the clues and unpack all the references in the song will feel rewarded and excited once they discover the hidden meanings and connections. Listeners that are unaware of these connections will feel that the songs seem out of order, disconnected and sound similar to each other.
It clearly is a risk in the music industry to hide so many inside references to the songs since not all listeners are willing to take the time and dive into the lyrics or go beyond the lyrics. For the listeners that get the references, the album is a creative and fresh way to comment on the uncertainties of the future and how everyone is insecure as to what tomorrow will bring. For listeners that do not get the references, they will see the album as great background music at a party but nothing more.
